Sūrya Kavaca
Sūrya Kavaca, “the armour of Sūrya”
The Sūrya Kavaca is the kavaca (protective armour-prayer) of Bhagavān Sūrya, which protects from weapons and astras (divine missiles) coming from every side. In the Brahma Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa, Śrī Kṛshṇa names it to his son Sāmba as one of the ways of worshipping Sūrya. Its words are not given in this chapter.
Śrī Kṛshṇa’s teaching to Sāmba
Sumantu tells Śatānīka the dialogue of Śrī Kṛshṇa and Sāmba on Sūrya Deva. Śrī Kṛshṇa teaches that Sūrya is Sarveśvara, the maker and sustainer of all, and that one who sees the Paramātmā within the Sūrya-maṇḍala also established in the body truly sees. Then he tells Sāmba: if you wish to end the sorrows of this world, if you wish the joys of this world and the next, and bhukti (enjoyment) and eternal mukti (freedom), then with a one-pointed mind worship the Sūrya within you with mantras; or worship the embodied mūrti of Sūrya at a place approved by the śāstra; or worship him by reciting the kavaca that protects from weapons and astras coming from every side. With such effort the desired fruit may be gained at any time.
For those who take refuge in Sūrya Bhagavān, the sorrows that arise from oneself, from other beings and from the devas never arise; they have no fear of any kind, and the joys of this world and the next come to them without break. Śrī Kṛshṇa says that Sūrya Deva told him this highest knowledge in person.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 48
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 48